Texas Strip Club Sues 14-Year-Old Exotic Dancer

(AP) A strip club in Texas that hired a 14-year-old as an exotic dancer says it was swindled and is suing the seventh-grader and her parents.

The girl allegedly exposed her breasts while working at Cheetah Club in Corpus Christi, a violation of state law. Alan Yaffe, the club's attorney, said the club didn't know the girl was a minor and disputed the alleged sequence of events that led the teenager to work there in the first place.

"She came (into the club) with 6-inch stiletto heels and a miniskirt and looked just like a model from a Miss America's contest," Yaffe said.

Authorities say Leslie Campbell, 48, kidnapped the girl in San Antonio in March, took her to Corpus Christi and sexually assaulted her over the course of a week. He then allegedly gave her a false identification and forced her to strip at the club.

Yaffe called the story bogus, and the club is suing Campbell, the girl and her parents for unspecified damage in a lawsuit filed last week. It also wants a judge to declare that the club didn't intend to hire a minor.

"There was no real kidnapping," Yaffe told the San Antonio Express-News. "We're the victims here, sir. My clients are the victims."

Campbell was in a Nueces County jail on charges of aggravated sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping. It was not immediately clear Saturday if he had an attorney.

Police also arrested Jeffery Shawn Martinez, a manager at the club, on charges of employment harmful to a minor and sexual performance of a child. He was released on bail. Martinez's attorney, Fred Jimenez, said his client is not guilty. Jimenez said the girl looked "very mature."

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Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission Sgt. John Mann scoffed at that characterization.

"I've seen this young lady's picture, and I assure you she is a 14-year-old seventh-grader," Mann said. "I personally think any reasonable and prudent person could tell you that is an underage girl."

Authorities say the girl eventually escaped from Campbell and has been reunited with her parents in San Antonio.

Yaffe said the club has also sued Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Walsh because Walsh issues permits for sexually oriented businesses in the city. A police spokesman declined comment to the newspaper, saying only that the lawsuit speaks for itself.

Comments

[WonderWomanGoddess]

Ok, why is the ‘kidnapped, raped, and *forced* to strip’ part of this pushed to the side? The title is WRONG, not misleading but wrong, she is not an ‘exotic dancer’ she is the victim of a crime. More heinous considering her age. You, and the Express News (argh) are exploiting a child victim further. If they were going to run this, they should have done so in a way that wasn’t tantamount to giving a bunch of criminals a voice with which to attack a child. You guys could have at least put a truthful title on it, if not a freakin’ disclaimer. The news coverage here has been terrible, often without a mention of the crimes against her, but I expect that down. What’s your excuse, HP? I suppose the photo made the ‘angle’ here clear. Shame on you!

To those of you pointing out her being held back at school…so? How is that relevant? If she is less than bright, does that mean it’s okay for her to victimized? Oh, but we like to pretend we are civilized.

As an aside, Corpus Christie strip clubs are the worst in the state. The conditions are sub-human, the workers are often illegal and very nearly slaves, underage, or simply would be unemployable elsewhere in the state. Standards are low down there. I hope these club owners get jail time and get shut down.

I hope this young girl is able to get over this compounded atrocity someday.

[okeefep1]

eww. get that photo off the news article when talking about a little girl. don't be sensational.

[Rmath]

Only in Texas. Is this an argument in favor of secession?

I love it when Texans call these places "gentlemen's clubs"...

[rektruax]

That's what they call them in NYC too...

[wanda665]

old men are like that

[PWM]

I didn't know minors could be sued.

[LeftLeftLeft]

Are all Texas 7th graders 14 years old?

"Houston, we may have isolated our problem here . . . ."

[CigarGod]

LOL
Have a cigar.

[terramartom]

Just Men being men?

[hrc04]

Why don't they secede already?

[elfNW]

Along with Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, hell the whole South. Let the Confederacy rise again. Real health care reform? Problem solved. Restore equability to the tax code? Problem solved. Stop intrusion of religion into government? Problem solved.

[CupOJoe]

Secede, hell, let's blockade their asses and see how well they do without Yankee dollars.

[Fremon]

You gotta love Texas! There was a book called "Only in America" which makes me think "Only in Texas" (think of this situation, Bush, Rove, the Governor, etc).

[Vandy Vo]

this is getting more and more awkward as the days pass by

[LMurphy418]

I have a feeling this young girl has more problems than being kidnapped, sexual assault, and stripping. A 7th grader is hardly ever 14 unless he/she has been held back a couple of times.

[curocat]

One child left behind..

[johnosahon]

"She came (into the club) with 6-inch stiletto heels and a miniskirt and looked just like a model from a Miss America's contest," Yaffe said.

LOLOLOL

pejean, see what you have done, gay marriage is NOT the one killing society, it is your show. HAH

[LargeJ]

14 yr old 7th grader huh? What's next? She was a model student. Clearly, this kid has got some troubles.

[Aboomer]

14-year-old seventh grader? Ouch -- two years too old for 7th grade. Sad story.

[snork]

Where's the video?!

[dmyron]

I wish we could say "only in Texas" , unfortunately this could have happened in any of the fifty staes.

[smillis19]

I agree something like this would've happened, but they would mostly happen in underground clubs.